Echo

EchoLeona Lewis has a voice like a monolith; a shiny, towering monument to perfect sound. But it can be difficult to connect with the woman who wields it,...EchoPopLeona Lewis has a voice like a monolith; a shiny, towering monument to perfect sound. But it can be difficult to connect with the woman who wields it,...2009-11-11

Leona Lewis has a voice like a monolith; a shiny, towering monument to perfect sound. But it can be difficult to connect with the woman who wields it, even with the help of pop-chart pros like Max Martin, Ryan Tedder, and Justin Timberlake. Too much of Echo is mired in soppy balladry and standard-issue dancery that seem meant to be consumed with a box of drugstore Chablis. When it works, however, as on the soaring ”Happy” and feathery, synth-laden ”I Got You,” all is (momentarily) redeemed. C+